New book highlights archaeology of County Armagh

A book highlighting the archaeology of County Armagh was launched today by Environment Minister Edwin Poots and Archbishop Alan Harper.

The Minister and Archbishop were marking the publication by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) of ‘An Archaeological Survey of County Armagh’. The book was launched at the Navan Centre, which is just one of the 850 archaeological sites contained within the county.

Mr Poots said: "Armagh is the smallest of the counties but it contains some of our best known and most intriguing archaeological sites and monuments.

"Readers of the book will enjoy the descriptions, discussions and illustrations of almost 850 archaeological sites which are the result of many decades of field surveys, excavations and research."

The book highlights the diversity of archaeology found in the county from spectacular Stone Age tombs, Bronze and Iron Age monuments to perhaps the earliest dated inscribed stone in Ireland and one of our earliest convents.

The book is available now from TSO Ireland.

Notes to editors:

1. NIEA is the lead statutory authority concerned with the protection, management and regulation of archaeological sites and historic buildings in Northern Ireland.
2. The book is available from TSO Ireland (ISBN 978-0-337-08878-0) at a cost of £40.
3. The report was launched on 12 November at the Navan Centre, Armagh.
4. For media inquiries please contact the DOE Press Office on 028 9054 0003 or out of office hours call the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 0769971 5440 and your call will be returned